April 20th is that wonderful time of year when 24-hour diners and All You Can Eat buffets are empty save for the very poor and the very fat, when the streets are finally safe for drivers averse to extreme slowness and meaningless blinkers, when pizzerias and Chinese food restaurants make their year’s budget purely on the delivery charges alone. Yes, 4/20 is that one blissful day of the year when stoners, potheads, straight-up dopers, and even the midnight tokers, leave the outside world to its own devices while they settle in for various DVD marathons of whatever the hell they feel like watching at that moment. This is only briefly interrupted for bathroom breaks and quick trips to Quick Trip to stock up on beer and beef jerky. At the dual hours of 4:20am and 4:20pm, if you listen very closely, you’ll hear the faint song of “water pipes” gurgling in unison across this great nation. You may be stuck at work, but take comfort in the fact that somebody somewhere, very much like the characters below, knows the true meaning of peace, man.

In honor of these great men and women, heroes all, please enjoy 10 of Our Favorite Potheads in Film and Television:

The Dude, The Big Lebowski

The Big Lebowski Car Scene from Ryan Hopman on Vimeo.

Nick Andopolis, “Freaks and Geeks”

Harold Lee and Kumar Patel, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle

Tim Bisley and Daisy Steiner, “Spaced”

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X-_UL08uuI&feature=related

Saul Silver and Dale Denton, Pineapple Express

Jay and Silent Bob, “Clerks: The Animated Series”

Slater, Dazed and Confused

Leo, “That ’70s Show”

Towelie, “South Park”

And, just because I love this scene, here’s a Bonus from Pineapple Express:

Rob Payne also writes the comic The Unstoppable Force, tweets on the Twitter @RobOfWar, and his ware can be purchased here (if you’re into that sort of thing). He promises he doesn’t know anything at all — not even a little bit — about pot culture, mom.